An intimate evening with world-renowned tenor Russell Watson will provide the perfect stocking-filler this Christmas.

The UK’s best-selling classical artist will perform at Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre on Saturday, March 21 and people are being advised to book early to avoid disappointment,

Russell Watson never imagined he would someday be hailed as one of the world’s greatest classical singer. Since being described as a performer ‘who sings like Pavarotti and entertains the audience like Sinatra’ he subsequently released ten studio albums, each one receiving more critical acclaim than the last.

His first album, The Voice, held simultaneous number one spots in the US and the UK in a world-first and spent a record-breaking 52 weeks at number one in the UK. His nine studio albums have won increasing critical acclaim with each release, and he has sold in excess of seven million albums worldwide.

Russell, who lives in Cheshire, is officially the UK’s best-selling classical artist ever and has won four Classical BRITS but his road to success was not a stereotypical one.

He left school at the age of 16 with no qualifications and spent the first eight years of his working life in a factory making nuts and bolts.

His desire to escape the monotony of the shop floor led him to enter a local radio talent competition where he beat 400 other contestants.

This was the precursor to a career that has spanned 15 years and seen him perform for some of the world’s greatest figures. These include The Queen, the late Pope John Paul II who requested a private audience with Russell at the Vatican, former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush, the Emperor of Japan, various European Prime Ministers, the King of Malaysia and Middle Eastern sultans.

He has sung at many prestigious events including sports-related performances. At the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games in 2002 he sang to a worldwide audience of one billion as well as at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Coronation Gala Festival 2013, the opening ceremony of the World Games and the Rugby Union World Cup.

His performances in stage shows have also earned him great critical acclaim, he played Parson Nathaniel in Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds tour and played the lead role of Karl Oscar in Benny and Björn’s (ABBA) Kristina.

His recent collaboration with Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg meant he fulfilled a lifetime ambition to work along side the writers of the world’s most successful musical ever, Les Miserables, where Boublil and Schonberg crafted a body of poignancy and class to his new album.

Russell is a patron for many charities and has raised millions of pounds over the last 15 years.

Gordon Millar, Lyceum Theatre director, said: “We are delighted to bring a classical performer of Russell Watson’s calibre to the Lyceum Theatre. It is a fantastic opportunity for audiences to encounter a master of concert performance in an intimate venue for an evening that is sure to thrill.”

After overcoming two life-threatening brain tumours, Russell remains the godfather of classical crossover. This intimate evening is a unique opportunity for audiences in Cheshire to hear ‘The Voice’ as never before.

Audiences are urged to book online at www.crewelyceum.co.uk or via the box office on 01270 368242.